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Danielle Baptiste
Danielle Anastasia Baptiste is an impulsive but good-hearted young woman, was born in New Orleans and is of French descent, daughter of Amos Baptiste and Police Captain Peyroux. She moved to New York to pursue a dance career, a dream she had since she was nine years old. After graduating, she became increasingly frustrated about the lack of direction in her life. Biography Witchblade Involvement After having a strange dream about a mystical gauntlet, Dani was drawn to an antiques shop owned by the mysterious Curator, who would later become a trusted confidant of hers. It was there that she encountered Sara Pezzini, the then-current bearer of the Witchblade. The two had also encountered each other previously on the steps of Sara's police department when Dani had bumped into Sara. Dani instantly recognized the Witchblade as the gauntlet in her dreams. She impulsively decided to accept it from Sara, who was expecting a baby and didn't want to deal with the adventures the Witchblade invariably drew. At first, Sara was dubious about handing the Witchblade over to Dani. After seeing the Witchblade respond strongly to her, however, Sara relinquished the blade to its new bearer. Progression Dani eventually learned that the Witchblade was actually a balance between two primal forces of the universe—an entity of light known as the The Angelus and an entity of dark known as The Darkness. She was drawn back home to New Orleans after her father suffered a heart attack. While waiting by his side, Dani fell asleep and had a nightmare involving herself in a haunted house, seeing an African boy with his eyes and mouth sewn shut. The shock woke her from sleep. Noting how stressed she is the nurse on duty told her to go out and relax. Dani complied, enjoying an evening out in New Orleans. However, she was harassed by three young men and punished them by drawing them into a dark alley and unleashing the Witchblade, almost choking one of them to death. It was then she realized that the Witchblade had a mind of its own and that she would have to exert more control over it. She was confronted by a mysterious fortune teller. Dani assumed the woman to be a charlatan, but the fortune teller stated that while she does tell people what they want to hear, it doesn't mean she truly possess precognition. When Dani described her nightmare, the fortune teller identified the location of the dream as the Desormeaux house. She explained that a few hundred years ago, when her husband died, Madeline Desormeaux showed her true nature, torturing and abusing her slaves. When one boy managed to escape to the village below, the townsfolk descended on the Desormeaux house, but Madeline escaped and the house has been abandoned ever since, its ground made a graveyard for her victims. Dani was instructed to go to the graveyard if she wanted to get rid of the nightmares. She did so and was confronted by rotting and deformed ghosts of Madeline's house. They begged Dani to help set them free by bringing Madeline to them so they may have their revenge. They directed her to the Desormeaux and stated that they could not enter, for it is Madeline's place of power. Dani agreed and promised to bring Madeline to them. She then went into the house, and after a brief fight, emerged triumphant. The ghosts then had their revenge on Desormeaux, and were able to move on. The graveyard and the house disappeared. She was left feeling increasingly unsure whether or not she could control the Witchblade. She returned to her father's bedside and was delighted to find him conscious. She promised to stay by his side for a few weeks to help his recover and then return to New York, resolving to get rid of the Witchblade after her ghostly encounter. However, she would end up changing her mind later after an encounter with Sara's archenemy, Celestine. First Born While out to dinner with a friend, the Witchblade starts acting up. Dani is forced to leave the cafe prematurely as she tries to hide her mystical gauntlet. She is then found by the Angelus, who had possessed Celestine. The Angelus reveals her intentions to use Sara's unborn child to finally win the war against the Darkness. She tried to recruit Dani to her cause, but was refused, as she fled. In her attempts to warn Sara, she unintentionally led the Angelus right to her. The Magdalena and Jackie Estacado, the host of the Darkness, defend a pregnant Sara, whom Dani assisted during labor. Dani was successful in delivering a beautiful baby girl but Sara was exhausted from labor. The Witchblade then split itself to save Sara's life. Both women had one half of the Witchblade, which they used to fight the Angelus and her warriors, before the baby ended the battle when she unleashed a mystical explosion that dispatched the Angelus and her warriors. The child was named Hope, after Sara's grandmother. Aftermath Later, Madame Kostigian, Dani's dance teacher, asked her to take over introductory classes while she returned to Poland to be with her sister, who has cancer. In the first class she taught, Dani met a girl named Finch. While teaching another class with Finch, Dani sensed something wrong and asked Finch to explain why she was sad. Over coffee, Finch revealed that her boyfriend, Rock, was trying to turn her into a prostitute to pay their rent. When Dani stated that she may be able to help, Finch excitedly kissed her. However, Finch immediately apologized and left. While accompanied by Finch, Dani fought Rock at his apartment, using the Witchblade to frighten him. During this encounter, Rock was accidentally shot and killed by a friend of his, who quickly departed. A shaken Dani then went to Sara for help, and the two moved the body into the street, making it look like a suicide for a case Sara was investigating. An angry Sara then lashed out verbally, and she and Dani parted ways. War of the Witchblades Dani soon let Finch share her apartment and explained to her the nature of the Witchblade. Finch commented that it didn't feel like metal and moved in for a kiss, but Dani stopped her, unsure of her sexuality. The next morning, Dani heard Finch screaming and rushed to her aid. Finch explained that she saw a woman made of fire who simply smiled at her and vanished. Dani identified the entity as the Angelus Force and decided to go to the Curator for answers. The Curator informed Dani that when the Witchblade was divided, so, too, were its essences. While Dani's half represented the Angelus, Sara's half represented the Darkness. Without balance, the chaotic nature of Sara's half was slowly corrupting her. Dani then considered giving the "light" half of the Witchblade to Sara, but was told that doing so would not remove the Darkness's influence from Sara's body, as its effects had already become too great. As such, Dani resolved to recover the second half of the artifact. She sets out to confront Sara in a final battle but is defeated and loses her half of the Witchblade. Before Sara can deal the killing blow, however, the Angelus, having finally possessed Finch, arrives and saves Dani by transferring its power into her. Unlike most previous hosts, though, Dani's personality is not suppressed and she manages to stop the Angelus from killing Sara, instead using her new found powers of Light to free her friend from the taint of the Darkness. She is last seen parting with Sara (on good terms) and going with Finch back to New Orleans. Angelus Dani has returned home to New Orleans and is moving in to an apartment with Finch. After leaving the apartment, she and Finch are attacked by a multi-headed chimera, Dani is forced to call upon The Angelus but is nearly defeated only to be saved by Sabine, one of The Angelus' followers. Sabine then takes Dani with her to The Angelus' home realm. As Dani is not fully taken over by The Angelus, she only has a vague memory of the Angelus realm as she is guided through it by Sabine to the throne room where the remains of a previous Darkness host, pierced by an Angelus spear, is being kept. Sabine talks Dani into planning an attack on Jackie Estacado, however she rejects by saying that Jackie is a friend, causing a little bit of unrest from her warriors. Sabine is briefly able to calm them before reminding Dani that the Angelus is suppose to value their realm over mankind, Dani then remembers that Finch is left on Earth and returns just in time to save her from two men attempting to rape her. Finch was upset at being unexpectedly left behind, to which Dani apologized. The next night, during Mardi Gras, Dani and Finch go to have a coffee with Dani's father, Amos, who is not yet aware of their relationship. When Dani is in the bathroom she is brought outside by Jackie's Darklings whom she destroys. Jackie and Dani have a brief conversation that ends with Jackie attacking her since they are meant to kill the other. Jackie takes the upper hand and is about to kill Dani in an alley but Finch interrupts Jackie and punches him in the face to the awe of his Darklings. But before the Darklings could murder Finch, Dani seizes the opportunity to fight back and as she starts to, the Angelus Warriors come to her aid. Jackie and Dani reach an agreement and go both their separate ways. Later at their home Dani and Finch kiss only for Amos to interrupt them in shock. After sharing a awkward moment, Amos gives Dani his support, but he says he is not comfortable talking about at the moment so they agree to talk about it over dinner latter. After Amos leaves Dani and Finch make love. Soon after Dani and Finch are done Sabine, bearer of The Wheel of Shadows, breaks into their room with a group Angelus of warriors demanding that Dani gives her the power of the Angelus. Sabine uses her powers to greatly age Finch, and transport herself along with Dani to the realm of the Angelus, where they began their battle. Sabine starts to win the battle until she realizes that The Wheel of Shadows cannot be removed, Dani uses this moment to grab her spear embedded in the Darkness corpse to pierce Sabine. Dani spares Sabine's life in exchange to return Finch to normal. After the deal is done Dani and Finch embrace then get ready to meet Dani's father for dinner. Artifacts Dani rushes to aide Sara after learning Sara's sister, Julie Pezzini had been killed and her daughter Hope has been kidnapped by Aphrodite IV. By time she makes her way to Sara, Jackie is already there. Dani and Jackie start to argue on who failed to protect Hope, but Sara uses her powers to neutralize both before a fight starts. Dani and Jackie agree to uphold to their truce while rescuing Hope. Soon after wards, Tom Judge; bearer of the Rapture, appears explaining that someone took him out of Hell and that the Curator warned him an event that involves the The 13 Artifacts. At the kidnap site the group is attacked by the demons that were hunting Tom Judge, after they defeat the demons they relocate to a church. Tom explains further detail about an event involving Hope and the other Artifact bearers, and how this event can end the world. Sara tells Tom that all she cares about is finding hope, and at that moment Tilly Grimes, a friend of Tom's, walks in saying "saving the world and saving Hope are the same thing". After Sara and Jackie go looking for the bearer of The Heart Stone, Dani talks to Tom about how long Tilly has been trying figure out whats going on and both feel that time is running short. Soon after Patience, burst the through the door and attacks Tom Judge because she believes it was him who was murdering priests. A fight between Patience and Tom breaks out; Dani puts an end to it. Sara and Jackie return with Abigail van Alstine, the Necromancer. Sara explains to Patience that it was not Tom who had been killing priests, and that the group needs her help. After everyone is calmed and introduced, Tilly Grimes explains that they need to find the thirteenth Artifact bearer and bring him to their side. Seeking information about the thirteenth Artifact and its bearer, Sara, Dani, and Jackie arrive at the home of the Curator. Sara and Dani go in while Jackie takes a call from, Michael Finnegan, bearer of the Glacier Stone. The women find the Curator in a possessed state. All he can say is "there is no hope" and then he explodes. Sara uses the Witchblade to shield Dani and herself from the blast. When Sara retracts the Witchblade she hears Jackie yelling for them. After Sara and Dani get up, they explain to Jackie what the Curator said before the blast and then Jackie tells them that Finnegan called to explain the Blood Sword was taken from him. When back at the church, Sara argues, with Tom Judge as he tries to convince her to stay with the group. Dani agrees with Tilly Grimes that the Thirteenth bearer must be found. As Sara and Jackie start to leave, Aphrodite IV comes through the door and is immediately attacked by Sara. Aphrodite IV is assisted by Cyberforce, who then attacks the Artifact bearers. After Jackie Estacado rewrites the universe, Dani is a police detective working with Gleason in New York City, investigating the deaths of the Curator and a Bulgarian gangster, both murdered by Estacado. She is no longer the Angelus host in this universe, though she slightly recalls her past memories, such as when she encountered a nurse, who had discovered the Bulgarian corpse, possessing the Ember Stone. In the middle of the night, Dani receives a call from Tom Judge, now an FBI agent, asking if she knows about the Angelus, to which she shows none. As she returned to sleep, she had a dream where a white bird began pecking at her chest before she sprouted feathers and screeched. She then woke up and tracked down Judge, who was under attack by Angelus Warriors. She saved the life of Tilly Grimes, who was the bearer of the Rapture before passing it to Judge. Judge explained his suspicions that Estacado was behind the whole mess. After confronting him to confirm it, he stated that Dani needed to become the Angelus again in order to restore their proper universe. He passed her the Rapture, knowing that the Angelus is drawn to it. While waiting for the Angelus to find her, Dani ran into Finch but both had forgotten they were in a relationship. The Angelus then appeared and possessed Finch instead of Dani. Abilities As Dani is a professional ballet dancer, she is very agile and dexterous, and using the powers of the Witchblade, she makes her self a formidable foe. As the current host of the Angelus, a primal force of creation representing Order and Light, she possess enhanced strength, speed, self-propelled flight, light beams, and most importantly, the ability to create objects and sentient beings of light. Her powers are limited, however, since functioning in complete darkness quickly drains and negates them. 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